Abstract

Finfish is the primary source of animal protein for
humans in many parts of the world and per capita
consumption of fish has been increasing from an
average of 9.9 kg in the 1960s to 19.2 kg in 2012 (FAO,
2014). Growing global population, dwindling natural
fish stocks, and the increasing demand are the major
drivers for increasing fish production. Aquaculture
remains the only option to meet these demands and
globally, the share of aquaculture is projected to rise
to 62% of the total fish production by 2030. However,
considering the limitations of the traditional
aquaculture systems due to environmental issues,
carrying capacities etc., it has been recognized that
cage culture, especially mariculture has many
advantages. Over the years, cage culture has become
one of the economically viable methods of large-scale
production of high-value food fishes.